Culinary Curiosities: Civil Libation

I haven't done a culinary curiosity post in forever so I'm excited to bring this back. We just recently went to a new restaurant in our area called Civil Libation. We were super excited about something new opening up and this place has a really cute vibe. We ventured in for some appetizers and to check out their craft cocktail list. I'm more of a beer and wine girl myself but it's always fun to try something new.

I had the Friends with Benefits and it was super yummy! I would highly recommend it! We also tried the Civil Zozzler but I wasn't a fan. It needed ice because it was room temperature. :(

We also tried a few appetizers that piqued our interest including Tapenade, Faming Hot Mac and Cheetos, Hawaiian Tuna Tower, and Steak Rolls. My favorite was the Tuna Tower. The tuna tasted really fresh and I loved the wonton chips. The Tapenade was pretty good too but Mark wasn't a fan. His fave was the Flaming Hot Mac & Cheeto. It's basically Mac and cheese with Cheetos on top lol but it was interesting.

I think they have a few kinks to work out but overall we were happy with the experience. I'm excited to go back and try some new dishes. If you are in the area, give it a chance and stop by!

Weekend Recap: Grad Time

Hey everyone! This is coming a little late but I wanted to share about our weekend. We had a super short trip to Richmond for my cousin Sawyer's college graduation. Sawyer is about 9 years younger than me and we grew up across the country from each other. We probably saw each other once every other year or every few years so we didn't spend a ton of time together. I feel like I am just getting to know him as an adult now and it's so fun to see a different side of him. We had a blast celebrating his success and hanging out with the fam.

Our first year living in VA has been tough (for a few reasons) but the main one is that we are so far from our family. A huge blessing is that we have extended family that live pretty close and I am so thankful that we can take advantage of the short distance to see them.

How fun is this??? 

Richmond is such a cute city and I want to go back and explore more. My friend Carly sent me a list of places to go visit so maybe a summer trip is in store to see more of our new state!

SO proud of you Sawyer and so excited for your big boy job starting soon!

FriYAY: Currently

Hey everyone! Happy Friday! I am exhausted so this will be quick one but I wanted to check in with a few things I am reading, listening to, etc. Here we go!

Listening:

The Dais podcast by Rachel Hollis. I just LOVE her and this podcast is awesome. So inspiring and such great nuggest for your everyday life. If you're a mom, I think you will love her even more. 

Following: 

Be Well By Kelly on Instagram. I listened to her as a guest on Rachel Hollis' podcast and fell in love. I love her approach to food and her wealth of knowledge is pretty incredible. I just ordered her book Body Love and I can't wait to learn more.

Reading: 

Still Me by Jojo Moyes. This is the third book in the series and I'm only about 50 pages in. I'm excited to get into the meat of the plot and see if this is as good as the other two. 

Watching:

The Handmaid's Tale- Mark hasn't seen the first season so I am rewatching that with him but I can't wait to check out the new season that just released. 

Looking forward:

Seeing some of my family next weekend for my cousin's graduation!

Missing:

Bug free nights! I get eaten alive by mosquitos! Any good mosquito spray and/or band recommendations? I've tried oils and they don't work for me :( I'm not exaggerating... I get destroyed by these bugs. 

Have a great weekend!!

Spring Stock Up

First of all, I want to thank you all so much for the sweet words of encouragement, prayers, and just reaching out to me after my last infertility post. Like I've said before, I am pretty open about all of this but putting so much of myself out there (especially on the internet) is scary. You guys sure know how to make a girl feel loved!

Spring is finally here and I LOVE it! I am trying to soak up every moment before it gets hot, humid, and the bugs are out in full force. I have purchased some new spring items lately since things aren't quite fitting like they did last season. Gotta love winter weight and then being injured and not able to work out :(

Fit & Flare Dress

Old Navy

I love Old Navy's dresses. They are comfy and easy to throw on for work with a jean jacket on top. Can't wait to wear this one!

Striped Dress

Old Navy

Another adorable dress with the cutest nautical stripes. I love it!

Vacation Vibes

Old Navy

I love a good cold shoulder top. The fun colors in this one have me feeling vacation vibes. Can't wait to wear this!

Yellow Crops

These aren't the exact pair I got but they are close.

I found these yellow cropped jeans at the Loft and had to have them. They change up the normal jean look and are so fun for spring. Plus they are super comfy! These aren't the exact pair that I found but they are close. Mine are true jean material, not chinos. Here is a similar pair in plus size. 

Shoulder Cut Out Tank

the Loft

I am always on the hunt for cute tanks to throw on with jeans or shorts in the summer. I think the small cut out detail on this tank is a little something different to make it a step up from a basic. Plus I just love stripes lol.

Book Over-Review: Red Rising

Amazon

I just finished the first three books in Red Rising series and I am hooked. They are too good not to share, even though the first book came out back in 2014. They definitely fall under the science fiction category which isn't normally my jam but I loved them. I would say it's a cross between Divergent and The Hunger Games but also very different than either one. I'm going to do my best not to reveal too much because the suspense and mystery of this series is what makes it so intriguing.

The story follows Darrow, a Red, the lowest of all the colors in the society. He is a hell diver and spends his day drilling for helium-3 on the planet Mars. It's an extremely grueling life but the Reds are doing their part to supply the needed materials for the society to prosper. on this uninhabited planet of Mars. Darrow's life is dedicated to this mission until one day when things take a terrible turn and his life is ripped away from him.

Darrow has seen the real society and now understands the deception that is fed to them at birth. The shock and confusion that surrounds Darrow leads him to do the unthinkable, infiltrate the Gold caste in their most distinguished and elite arena, the Institute. How can he penetrate the Institute when he is only a Red? He will undergo a transformation that can only be accomplished by a true love for his people, a willingness to die for his cause,  and the memory of a lost love.

Following Darrow's story, you will see the cracks in this perfect caste and see the horrors of those fighting for power. It will transport you this futuristic world where power and control are the very devices that will be their downfall.  Will Darrow be able to accomplish his mission or will he be destroyed in the process? You will be on the edge of your seat the entire time with lots of twists and turns thrown your way. Sooo good and even better when you can listen to the audiobook version. A must read series!